George Shannon

George Shannon Emmons, of Newtown died on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011 of natural causes. He was 86.

He was aWorld War II veteran, direct descendant of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

He was the beloved husband of 26 years to Cristina Mendoza Relova-Emmons.

Born in Mexico, Mo., he was the son of the late St. Clair Patterson and Mary Carter Emmons. He was the second youngest of nine siblings, a direct descendant of George Shannon from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and a distant cousin of Thomas Jefferson.

George resided in Yardley and Newtown for more than 30 years.

He graduated after three years from Artesia High School in New Mexico and received a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of New Mexico.

He was a proud World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy.

After serving his country, George joined GE Aerospace as an engineer and worked in various locations such as White Sands, N.M., Schenectady, N.Y., Cape Canaveral, Fla., and King of Prussia, Pa.

He participated in the recovery of the first rocket sent into space. A photograph of two fellow workers and him with a piece of the recovered rocket was displayed at the old Philadelphia National Bank in Center City, Philadelphia.

His career allowed him to be part of additional historic aerospace milestones which were featured in two National Geographic Magazine articles (c. 1949, 1950). One article included a photograph of George with a captured German V-2 rocket in White Sands Proving Grounds and another article featured the work he was involved in with the first monkey (Albert II) to be sent successfully into space on June 14, 1949.

After his GE career, George started his own company that installed hot-water heating systems powered by solar energy, and was a consultant for air quality control for schools and hospitals.

He was an active member and Chair of the Sierra Club of Bucks County and Chair of the Sierra Club PA Chapter Political Action Fund Committee.

George was also a volunteer with the PA League of Conservation Voters.

Those who knew George described him as a kind, gentle, reserved and very intelligent man, who enjoyed spending time with his family, was an avid reader and applied his engineering background in his personal life.

In addition to his beloved wife, George is also survived by his children: Shannon McCafferty and her husband, Michael, Marivi Teicher and her husband, William, Roderick 'Rick' Relova and his wife, Lisa, and Mary Ann Chicko and her husband, Brett; his brother, Robert Emmons and his wife, Betty; eight dear grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing Friday, Sept. 2, 2011 from 10 a.m. until his Funeral Mass 11:30 a.m. at the Church of St. Andrew, 81 Swamp Road, Newtown. Interment will be at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name may be made to the Sierra Club, PA Chapter, P.O. Box 606, Harrisburg, PA 17108 or to the Alzeihemer's Association at www.alz.org.

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